Noble Park attack: female Scout leader recalls terror after knife held at throat
A female Scout leader who was kicked in the head and had a knife held to her throat by a drunken stranger while alone in a Noble Park Scout hall now lives in fear— she can’t even open a door without panicking.
South East
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A traumatised Scout leader who was savagely attacked by a drunken stranger and had a knife held to her throat has doubts she’ll ever be able to live her life without fear.
The woman was alone in the Moodemere Scout Hall in Noble Park about 7.30pm on May 15, 2017 when she was attacked by Amith Warnakulasuriye Fernando, who had been drinking heavily at Club Noble Hotel across the road.
The Sri Lankan refugee from Dandenong North kicked his victim in the head twice, held a knife to her throat and stomach and threatened to kill her if she didn’t stop screaming.
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She was eventually able to escape and call her husband, who then rang police.
The terrified Scout leader suffered lacerations, but according to her victim impact statement the psychological damage was much greater.
She described how the attack left her feeling constant exhaustion, sleeplessness and daily panic.
“I should be able to live my life and yet I can’t see myself ever being free enough to do this again,” she said.
“I look at everyone with fear and panic, nowhere is safe.”
The victim also said walking 200m from her office to her car makes her sweat and she panics when opening a door.
She also avoids simple tasks like going to the supermarket or having a coffee.
“The only safe place is my home with the windows and doors locked,” she said.
“The solid door must be locked and I know that even that is not safe.”
Warnakulasuriye Fernando pleaded guilty in the County Court last December to attempted robbery, aggravated burglary, threat to kill, unlawful assault and intentionally causing injury.
Judge Liz Gaynor took into account Fernando’s own post-traumatic distress syndrome disorder when sentencing.
Both his parents were shot dead by members of the Tamil Liberation Front when he was a child.
In 2009 he fled Sri Lanka after receiving death threats from an opposition political party.
“(The PTSD led) you to develop dependency on alcohol which you had never previously resorted to in any great degree and which had a direct bearing on your commission of the offences before this court,” Judge Gaynor said.
“I find there is some reduced moral culpability for this offending.”
Warnakulasuriye Fernando was sentenced to two years and ten months with a minimum of two years.
He had already spent 570 days in detention at the time of the sentence.
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